Testudinia Reproduction And Characteristics

Question 1

What are characteristics of Chelydridae (Snapping turtles)?

Answer 1

Large, with powerful jaws
Head,neck and limbs not fully retractable
Not strong swimmers
Mainly walk on bottom
Unique defensive posture - head lowered and hind limbs extended exposing carapace towards threat
Fleshy projection on tongue - used to lure fish into open mouth

Question 2

What are characteristics of Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae (sea turtles)?

Answer 2

Forelimbs modified into elongated, fully webbed paddles
Forelimbs more strongly developed than hind limbs
Nesting restricted to tropical warm temperate beaches
Do not reproduce each year, clutches are extremely large
Nesting nocturnal except Lepidochelys dinurnal

Question 3

What are characteristics of Emydidae (box and water turtles)?

Answer 3

Plastrons - hinged, others solid

Question 4

What are characteristics of Testudinidae (tortoises)?

Answer 4

High dome shells - adaptation against predation, shell exceeds gape of most predators
Feet unweaned and stout to support heavy body
Digits reduced no more than 2 phalanges
Head and limbs fully retractable into shell
Gigantism - evolved independantly on many islands
Clutches are small in some species only 1-2 eggs with exception of one species
Eggs laid in **holes in ground, large mound of decaying vegetation, leaf litter of forest ground

Question 5

What are characteristics of Trionychidae (Softshelled turtles)?

Answer 5

Flattened bodies
Carapace covered with leathery skin - no scutes
Jaws covered with fleshy lips instead of keratinous beak
Long neck, limbs extensively webbed
Snout w/ fleshy proboscis

Question 6

What are characteristics of Kinosternidae (musk and mud turtles)?

Answer 6

Smallest of turtles in North America
Foul-smelling musk gland - cloaca
Bottom dwellers - not strong swimmers
Plastron reduced, hinged singly or doubly in some species